Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 80 - The Quibbler

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 Al checked her watch - almost six o'clock. She and George needed to get going if they wanted dinner before the DA meeting. "Oh, wait, before you go," George said, refastening his tie. Al turned around and looked at him. "Will you go with me to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day?"

 "I didn't know you were into that stuff," Al teased with a judgemental grin.

 "You're not?" George asked, and Al shook her head. "Oh thank Merlin - I thought you were going to make me go to Madame Puddifoots!"

 Al slapped his arm playfully. "Shut up!"

 "Well can we go to Hogsmeade together anyway? We've not had a date in ages," George said.

 "Alright," Al agreed, "I'll meet you in the Three Broomsticks?"

 "Sounds like a plan," George said, checking the coast was clear, "Right, you go, and I'll count to forty three."

 Al grinned and kissed him goodbye before heading off down to dinner.

*****

 The Daily Prophet owl landed next to the milk jug, and Al placed three sickles in its pouch, untying the newspaper. "Anything good?" Draco asked, not looking up from grabbing some toast.

 "Er..." Al began whilst unfolding it. She stopped staring at the headline. MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN. "Merlin's beard," she whispered.

 "What?" Draco asked, as Daphne and Theo looked up from their letters.

 "There's-there's been another Azkaban breakout," Al said quietly, feeling her stomach drop and her hands grow clammy. If this was true - on top of the Death Eaters Voldemort already had - the Order didn't stand a chance. Al glanced up, looking at three pale faces. "Ten high security prisoners...believe there's outside help..." Al skim read the article and summarised it, "They're trying to pin it on Sirius."

 "This is really not good," Theo said quietly.

 "Why isn't anyone panicking?" Daphne asked. The four of them looked around. Most students were laughing over breakfast, or finishing last minute homework. One or two groups other than their own were having hushed conversations, a copy of the Prophet at the centre.

 "The teachers are," Draco said, looking up at the staff table. Sure enough, the professors sat together in huddles, whispering frantically. Even Umbitch wasn't her usual falsely-cheery self, instead keeping her head down. It looked really bad.

*****

 Valentine's day came and went, and Al had a lovely day out with George, away from Umbitch's watchful eye. A few students looked at them funny, expecting them to have broken up, but Al just smiled at them.

 It wasn't until the day after that any more news came out. Al was minding her own business, wandering the halls with her friends on their lunch break, when Anne came up to them. "You should read this, Al," she said, thrusting a copy of the magazine, the Quibbler into her hand.

 Al looked down at the open page. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE BOY WHO LIVED: WHAT HARRY POTTER SAYS REALLY HAPPENED. Al skim-read the article, reading about all the named Death Eaters that had shown up in the graveyard.

 "It's had a lot of support," Anne said, as Al passed it to the other three. "Apparently it's sold out - people will want to ask you where to get one."

 Al nodded, "Thanks Anne, spread the word." Just then, Umbridge walked past them and Theo stuffed the magazine out of sight. "And don't let me catch you with your shirt untucked again!" Al said loudly to Anne, who grinned and then pretended to look scared, hurrying off.

 But Al didn't find out where to get a copy of the Quibbler until the DA meeting that week. "Al Dursley," a dreamy voice called out behind her. Al turned to see Luna Lovegood walking towards her.

 "What can I do for you?" Al asked, raising her eyebrows slightly.

 "My Dad is the editor of the Quibbler," Luna told her, "Could you tell that to anyone that wants one? The Weasley twins are selling them too."

 "That's great, Luna," Al said with a grin, "I'll let people know." And so, despite it being technically illegal to read the Quibbler, Al told people exactly where to get them, and continued with her intricate gossip system.

*****

 Al was heading back from a late dinner with Daphne when a group of second-year Hufflepuffs hurried past them, nervous whispers emitting from the centre of the huddle. "Is everything alright?" Al asked from the other side of the corridor.

 The group stopped and looked at each other, "We heard Professor Trelawny's getting fired. She's in the entrance hall now."

 It took one look from Daphne for Al to know that that was the way they ought to head as well, so they hurried off after the Hufflepuffs. It was a sight that Al hadn't known as long as she'd been there. She saw Harry arriving just in front of her, Snape in front of him. He'd probably had detention or something.

 Professor Trelawny issued a shriek at something Al couldn't see, and she pushed her way to the front after Snape, evidently having the same thoughts. Something dangerous was there. But what Al couldn't realise was why the students around her were only standing and watching.

 Al reached the front of the crowd, and saw that many prefects and teachers had had a similar idea to her and Snape. They too had their wands drawn, but were now watching with a sick-looking shock upon the centre.

 Trelawny was indeed stood there, facing Umbridge, who was evidently the one sacking her. She looked deranged, with her hair flying everywhere and an empty sherry bottle in hand. Al hurriedly put her wand away. Professor McGonagall rushed over to comfort her, and told her it would be alright, that she wouldn't have to leave.

 "And on whose authority," Umbridge began, looking smug, "is that, Minerva?"

 "Mine," A voice said from the doors. Dumbledore stood there, outlined magnificently by the fading night sky.

 "Professor Dumbledore," Umbridge said curtly as he strode into the room, his robes billowing, "Under educational decree-"

 "I'm well aware you can fire my staff," Dumbledore said, "You cannot however banish them from the grounds. Minerva, could you please escort Sybil back upstairs." McGonagall and Sprout helped Trelawny away from the crowd, and Flitwick followed with the trunks.

 "And when the replacement I allocate requires her lodgings?" Umbridge said stiffly.

 "That will not be necessary," Dumbledore said, "As I have already found a replacement, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor. May I introduce you to...Firenze." A centaur with a glossy white coat entered the Entrance Hall and many of the students - including Al - gasped. She'd never seen a centaur before.

 Umbridge looked livid and ready to explode. "If you'll excuse us," said Dumbledore and he and Firenze strode off down a corridor.

 "What are you waiting for?" Snape snapped at the crowd behind him, "Get going!" Al and the remaining staff and prefects ushered the students out of the Entrance Hall and back into the Great Hall.

 "One moment please, Miss Dursley," a sickly voice said from behind her.

 "Yes, Professor?" Al asked with a polite smile, turning around to face Umbridge, who many students were now openly glaring at.

 "I'd like you to arrange a group of responsible students to meet at my office on Tuesday night at eight o'clock," Umbridge said, "Prefects, trustworthy students. Keep it hushed up. I'll invite some others too."

 "Of course, Professor," Al said, knowing not to ask why. Umbridge would have told her already otherwise. She turned to go back into the dungeon, wondering why Dumbledore had insisted on keeping Trelawny around. Was it just to spite Umbridge? She didn't think so. Maybe she was the one who had predicted that prophecy Dumbledore had told her about? Now that would make sense...